MELECHESH - ENKI [REVIEW]
Five years after the
release of the monumental The Epigenesis,
Black Metal titans Melechesh have returned with a new offering, Enki. Named after the Babylonian deity
of wisdom and the arts, a fitting title for so intricate and massive an album.
The sound on Enki can be described as having molten
gold being poured into your ear while visions from beyond…Like their previous
works, Enki is both ferocious and
intricate; no words can do this album any justice when describing it, but this
track-by-track will at least offer a good idea of what to expect.
Tempest Temper Enlil Enraged
A funny name for the
opener that sounds like it hastily jam-packed with keywords describing every
emotion that describes in this song. All doubts of this album being a worthy
successor to The Epigenesis are
immediately swept away in a maelstrom of screeching guitars and thundering
drums.
The Pendulum Speaks
The title of this song
is intriguing, if not mesmerizing, and can only be described as pure gold
furiously being forged into a tall and mighty monument for the old gods and
their wisdom.
Lost Tribes
The album’s flagship
single, featuring the legendary Max Cavalera, and probably the album’s
thrashiest track; Cavalera’s vocals offer a deeper companion to Ashmedi’s
serpentine shrieks. Lost Tribes’ second theme commences halfway
through and unleashes hell with its punishing triple meter beats and locust
swarm-guitar riffs.
Multiple Truths
Multiple Truths
assaults your ears with heavy grooves spiced with Phrygian goodness. Ashmedi’s
vocals here are uncharacteristically sinister even by Melechesh’s standards,
being sung in short and rigid spurts.
Enki – Divine Nature Awoken
This number evokes the
first instrumental track on The
Epigenesis, When Halos of Candles Collide, but this notion is swept away by
the entrance of mercilessly heavy tremolo riffs and drums. Sakis Tolis of
Rotting Christ fame makes his appearance on this track, and his bone-chilling
howls add to the cavernous atmosphere.
Metatron and Man
The best way to
describe Metatron and Man is as a
twisted symphony of blades and plagues, with legions of Assyrian warriors
charging enemy lines on demon-drawn chariots.
The Palm, the Eye, and Lapis Lazuli
Infectiously
groovy, this is one of the most fun songs Melechesh have written, and is
something to look forward to when they start touring. If you aren’t bouncing
your head to the beat, then something is wrong with you.
Doorways to Irakala
Mesmerizing. Nothing
else need be said.
The Outsiders
Like the title track of
their previous album, The Outsiders
serves as the monolithic conclusion to the album. Astronomic themes and
crushing vocals descend upon the listener to crush them beneath the relentless
storm of sound, and with its brief but haunting outro The Outsiders beautifully concludes Enki.
A Final Word on the Album
Enki
represents a culmination of Melechesh’s previous efforts: the raw, thrashy
power of Sphynx and Emissaries, the mammoth and intricate
passages of The Epigenesis. Although the
album feels that it was written in the shadow of The Epigenesis, it can also be said that Melechesh has found its
voice anew and is unafraid of recreating itself: with Enki, they have found a launch pad from which to keep leading as
innovators in the Black Metal scene.
Rating: 9.5/10
Favorite tracks: Doorways
to Irkala, The Palm, the Eye, and Lapis Lazuli, The Outsiders, Multiple Truths.
Leave a comment